Advocate vs family counselor

The differences between advocates and family counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an advocate, becoming a family counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a family counselor has an average salary of $41,510, which is higher than the $39,497 average annual salary of an advocate.

The top three skills for an advocate include CPR, customer service and developmental disabilities. The most important skills for a family counselor are social work, community resources, and POC.

Advocate vs family counselor overview

	Advocate	Family Counselor
Yearly salary	$39,497	$41,510
Hourly rate	$18.99	$19.96
Growth rate	12%	14%
Number of jobs	74,970	93,253
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	43	41
Years of experience	12	4

What does an advocate do?

An advocate is a voice for the voiceless. It is their responsibility to speak on behalf of an individual or a particular cause. Most of the duties will vary depending on the line of organization or duty involved; however, an advocate must have extensive knowledge or background on the subject matter. Furthermore, an advocate must be present at gatherings regarding the cause, assist in the negotiation and mediation processes involving contracts and legal documentation, provide or convey accurate information, and defend what they represent.

What does a family counselor do?

A Family Counselor treats married couples or family members in order to help them overcome mental or emotional problems. They provide effective treatment measures to help the family members resolve their issues.

Advocate vs family counselor salary

Advocates and family counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Advocate	Family Counselor
Average salary	$39,497	$41,510
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $58,000	Between $27,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	New York, NY
Highest paying state	New York	New York
Best paying company	Microsoft	Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Best paying industry	Government	Professional

Differences between advocate and family counselor education

There are a few differences between an advocate and a family counselor in terms of educational background:

	Advocate	Family Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	SUNY at Binghamton	California State University - Long Beach

Advocate vs family counselor demographics

Here are the differences between advocates' and family counselors' demographics:

	Advocate	Family Counselor
Average age	43	41
Gender ratio	Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3%	Male, 26.3% Female, 73.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 6.2% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1%	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	11%	6%

Differences between advocate and family counselor duties and responsibilities

Advocate example responsibilities.

Develop and maintain communication and contact with community services organizations and other agencies concern with veterans and public service programs.
Perform CPR and a as needed.
Administer first aid and CPR in emergency situations.
Record daily efforts make into an ETO software system.
Perform basic counseling, basic interviewing, conflict mediation, and advocacy for batter women.
Identify and provide emergency crisis service as needed, often through mediation or phone calls.

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Family counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Assist the clients in completing their DCF case plan, helping to remove any hindrances they may encounter.
Counsele and test patients who requesting confidential HIV testing services
Collaborate and coordinate patient care with resident/faculty physicians to provide appropriate levels of care to patients.
Receive and process referrals from DCF and community-base case managers for individuals suspect as substance abusers.
Utilize PowerPoint presentations to facilitate ongoing new student orientation, ensuring students understand rules and regulations.

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Advocate vs family counselor skills

Common advocate skills

CPR, 12%
Customer Service, 11%
Developmental Disabilities, 11%
Cleanliness, 10%
Patients, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 6%

Common family counselor skills

Social Work, 22%
Community Resources, 13%
POC, 7%
Family Support, 5%
Family Therapy, 5%
DOD, 4%

Advocate vs. similar jobs

Advocate related careers

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Advocate jobs by location

Updated January 8, 2025

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